GLSCL announces 2009 All-Star representatives

FROM CBB NEWS SOURCEDELAWARE, Ohio – After compiling the top two records in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League at the halfway point of the season, both Lima and Grand Lake lead all vote getters with seven representatives for next week’s 2009 GLSCL All-Star game in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The festivities, which are scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, will be capped off with the All-Star game at 6:35 p.m. Prior to the contest, scouts will have the opportunity to evaluate some of the league’s top prospects in various skill competitions. More than 30 scouts attended last year’s festivities, which showcased a talent pool that produced 41 draftees in last month’s Major League Baseball draft. All events will be held at Western Hills High School, the home of the Cincinnati Steam.

The blue team, coached by the Mariners’ Brandon Tormoehlen, will be represented by Grand Lake, Cincinnati, Xenia, Hamilton and Lake Erie. Rob Livachek of the Locos will coach the red team, which will be represented by Lima, Licking County, Stark County, Southern Ohio and Anderson.

Among the top prospects selected to participate in the festivities is Kolbrin Vitek (Ball State) of Lake Erie and Aaron Thompkins (Furman) of Stark County – the top two hitters in the league. Colbrin is hitting .405 with six double and six runs batted in through 11 games for the Monarchs. Thompkins, meanwhile, is hitting .400 with a pair of triples and seven RBIs for the Terriers.

The league’s top run producer, Reed Spitaels (Bethel) of Anderson, will also represent the red team after driving in a league-best 20 runs. Ryan Strausborger (Indiana State) of Cincinnati will represent the blue team after pacing the GLSCL with 25 runs scored.

Starting pitchers have yet to be announced for the All-Star game, but both teams sport nine pitchers, all of whom will throw one inning apiece. Stark County’s Ryan Mace (Kent State) is among the league leaders when toeing the rubber, as he has yet to allow a run through 16 innings of work this season, while also holding opponents to a .111 batting clip. Lima’s Tyler Newhart (Wright State) has also turned in a superb first half, as he posted a 2-0 record and a 1.35 ERA through 20 innings.

Complete rosters can be found HERE.

The GLSCL is a charter member of the National Alliance of Summer Collegiate Baseball (www.nacsb.org), which is recognized as the premier organization in summer collegiate wood bat baseball. The GLSCL is funded in part by Major League Baseball and is only one of eight summer collegiate leagues in the country so designated.

For more information on the All-Star game, as well as the High School Showcase scheduled to be held on Tuesday, please check out CincinnatiSteam.com or contact Tony Brumfield at 513-312-2838 or tbcincync@yahoo.com.

Brian Foley is the founder and Lead Editor of College Baseball Daily since its inception in 2005.
He has covered two CWS, multiple NCAA Baseball Regionals, and other special events across the country. In addition to his duties with College Baseball Daily, he has covered games for Inside Lacrosse and been featured in USA Today, Wall Street Journal among other publications.
He can be contacted by email at editor at collegebaseballdaily.com and followed on Twitter @BFoley82.